Era Progression (is too fast)

[Dux1]

I think we all know that with the way the tech and civics trees are set up in Civ VI, progression through tech eras can happen at an extremely rapid pace. It is even possible to skip entire eras at times: Rushing Cartography, for example, allows the player to progress from the Classical Era directly into the Renaissance Era, skipping the Medieval Era.

I don't think the flexibility built into the tech tree was an accident, but it feels like the way in which your current era is established doesn't work well with this flexibility. It might be interesting to have a civilization learn how to cross oceans at a time far earlier than is historical, but if all other technology was put on hold to achieve this goal, is it really accurate to describe this civilization as being in the "Renaissance Era"?

While the obvious fix to era progression speed would be to add many more prerequisites for each technology, I believe the flexibility we currently have could be maintained if era determination was no longer based on researching any tech in that era. One idea would be to change it so that era progression only occurs after, say, half of the techs or civics from that era are researched. This would allow for the currently flexibility in technology choice, but it would prevent reaching the Industrial Era (and having all of the benefits and penalties associated with this era) before 1000 AD.

Thoughts?

 

[Seabastian Civ]

Something has to give. It's kinda lame right now.

I came up with a fixed progression idea the other day. E.g. Medieval fires at 800 AD for everyone regardless of how many techs each Civ has. Medieval techs are now 100% their normal cost. Techs from the previous era are now 30% their cost for everyone. Techs from Renaissance are 200% normal cost for everyone. The industrial techs are even more expensive. Keeps everyone in the same era more or less.

 

[Dux1]

Something has to give. It's kinda lame right now.

I came up with a fixed progression idea the other day. E.g. Medieval fires at 800 AD for everyone regardless of how many techs each Civ has. Medieval techs are now 100% their normal cost. Techs from the previous era are now 30% their cost for everyone. Techs from Renaissance are 200% normal cost for everyone. The industrial techs are even more expensive. Keeps everyone in the same era more or less.

I like this idea, too. Olleus, I'll have to check out your mod!

 

[ComradeDavo]

I agree that more prerequisites for each technology are needed.

I also think more techs in general are needed as well for a variety of reasons and I imagine that future DLC's will add some in. As talked about in other AI threads there needs to be some units added that don't require resources to help the AI perform better and adding techs with them makes sense right now.

I'd quite like to see a DLC focused on conquest that really ups the AI's military skills, adding in some aggressive leaders and more aggressive random leader traits and a whole bunch of units and techs relating to military.

 

[Eurik]

I agree. The time pace is too fast and the huge maps are too small. As a lover of epic games I am not very happy with this.